5 Fun Facts About Solar Energy

As awareness about climate change and the importance of renewable energy sources continues to grow, more and more people around the world are turning to alternative resources for both residential and commercial purposes. The sun has been producing energy for millions of years, and ever since the 1830s, when Edmond Becquerel discovered the photovoltaic effect, humans have been utilizing solar energy to light homes and generate electricity. As leading providers of some of the best solar panels Malta has to offer, our team at Alternative Technologies Ltd shares a few things about solar energy that you probably didn’t know!

1. The Future is Solar

Of all the alternative energy sources that currently exist, solar energy is the most abundant and the cheapest. By using the sun as an energy source, solar energy reduces the amounts of harmful greenhouses gases which are emitted through the burning of fossil fuels, thus generating cleaner and more sustainable air. Consequently, solar energy is considered by many environmental scientists and industry professionals as the future of alternative energy.

2. A Day of Sunshine Goes A Long Way

In fact, just a single day’s worth of sun is enough to fulfil the Earth’s energy needs for about 27 years - in other words, almost 3 decades! A year’s worth of power for the whole world can be collected in just one hour of sun.

3. The First Solar Panel Was Invented in the 40’s

It was Russell Ohl, an American engineer, who first patented the modern solar cell in 1941. Bell Laboratories - originally founded by Alexander Graham Bell - would then go on to invent the commercial solar panel in 1954.

4. The Holy Grail of Clean Energy

Scientists are currently working on how to harness the power of nuclear fusion - the exact same phenomenon that keeps the sun burning. Having noted the amazing breakthroughs that solar technology has been making over the years, the world’s leading experts now hypothesize that if humans manage to tame this nuclear power emanating from the sun, solar power would be rocketed to entirely new heights.

5. Socrates Was a Big Fan

That’s right - according to historians, even the Ancient Greeks realised just how powerful and effective solar energy was. Their homes were built in ways to get as much sunlight as possible during the coldest months of the year. Socrates, arguably the most influential thinker in society back then, even taught classes on solar architecture. Following his teachings, the first solar Ancient Greek city was Olynthus, where every house in every street was built facing the South.

Want to invest in renewable energy in Malta?

Here at Alternative Technologies Ltd we help you focus on today’s needs while keeping tomorrow in mind, and what better way to do that than by making the most of the bright sun our islands are so famous for? Contact us today for more information about our services and our SunPower® PV panels in Malta - let’s build a better future together!